John c



(No Model.)

J. C, FRENCH. SHOE.

No. 429,267. Patented June 3, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. FRENCH, OFv CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,267', dated J' une 3, 1890.

Application filed May 31, 1888. Serial No. 275,565. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

4Be it known that I, JOHN C. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Concord,

in the county of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Infants Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more especially to infants shoes-z'. e.,lightsoled shoes, technically known as hand-turned -for the use of children from the time they are learning to walls` until they reach the age of tive years or thereabout. It does not pertain to the so-called spring-heel shoe, although it may resemble it somewhat in outside appearance.

The object of the invention is merely to form the heel portion of infants shoes as fiat as possible ou the under side or bottom, While on the inside it conforms in shape to the heel of the infants foot, thus enabling them to set their foot flat and firm without the tendency to turn their ankles while learning to walk.

The invention consists in building` up the sides of the heel portion of a shoe without materially increasing the thickness in the center of the heel, and forming the inside as con` cave as need be, while the under side or bottom of the heel portion is perfectly flat. The means whereby I accomplish this is clearly set forth in the following specification and claim, and illustrated in the drawings accompanying the same, of which Figure l is a side view of a shoe made in accordance with my improvements, Fig. 2 being a cross-section through Y Y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a broken View of the heel end of my improved shoe, and Fig. 4 is a plan section of the heel portion of my improved shoe. Fig. 5 shows a strip of leather as when shaved to the shape adapted to be stitched in between the sole and the upper when making new shoes with my improved heel portion; and Fig. 6 is a cross-section of a new shoe when lastedf taken through the heel portion.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

A is a portion of a last.

B represents the shoe-upper; C, the sole; D, the counter, and E the strip of sole-leather, which I shave down thin on one side and interpose between the sole and the upper when 4 manufacturing a shoe in accordance with my invention.

I require two lasts in making my improved shoe-1. e., the first one, or that upon which I make the shoe, must of necessity be much .more conveXed at its heel portion than is the last upon which the shoe is placed after having been turned for finishing, the increased convexity of the first last being required to allow room for the rand E, which is bent around the heel portion, with its thin edge up or at the top, as seen in Fig. 6, inwhich position stitches are taken through the strip c of the sole C, (formed in the ordinary manner by channeling said sole,) the upper B, and coun ter D, all said parts beingstitched at once. When stitched all around andthe shoe is ready for trimming and burnishing, it is turned and put upon the second or finishing last, which is just enough converted to allow the outside or bottom of the heel portion or end o f the sole to be level or flat, while the inside of said shoe conforms to the convexity of the last.

To altera shoe in conformity to my invention, it is preferable to cast a piece ofv soleleather E in the form of a heel-lift,7 somewhat larger than the heel portion of a shoe to be altered, and after shaving it out concave on its top side (very thin in the center) to sew it to the heel portion of the sole of said shoe, with its concave side to said shoe-sole, as in Fig. 3. Then the edge is shaved o, beveling outward, so as to leave the bottom Wider than the sole-leather and perfectly at. By this formation the heel of the foot is sure to stayin the center of the shoe, and any tendency toward bending the ankle is thus avoided.

Having described my improvements in relation to shoes, what I claim as new is- The herein described shoe, having the broad flat heel portion and concave heel-seat, the same comprising the upper B, sole C, and rand E, said rand having a horizontal base portion and an inwardly-in clined portion, forming t-he heel-seat, the external portion of said rand inclined downwardly and outwardly to the base of the sole, and said base being broader than the heel-seat, as set forth, whereby a broad flat tread to the heel is secured, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.IOHN C. FRENCH.

Witnesses a J. B. THu'RsroN, NATHANIEL E. MARTIN. 

